[P]olice are investigating a serious road traffic collision that occurred at 7.55pm, on the evening of Friday, 14th July, 2017, on the A595 near to Bootle, Cumbria.
The collision involved a green Toyota Yaris travelling from the Millom direction, and a white Ford Transit Connect van travelling in the opposite direction.
The driver and the front seat passenger of the Toyota, both local females, aged 18, were pronounced dead at the scene, as a result of injuries sustained in the collision.
An 18-year-old local female, travelling in the rear of the vehicle was flown by air ambulance to Preston Royal Hospital, where her condition is described as critical.
The 51-year-old, local, male driver of the Ford Transit, was flown by air ambulance to Aintree Hospital, Liverpool, where his condition is described as serious but stable.
A spokesman for Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service said: “At 19:55 firefighters were called to a road traffic collision between two vehicles on the A595, Bootle.
“Crews from Bootle, Broughton and Millom attended the incident.
“Crews used cutting equipment to release three injured people from the vehicles.
“Sadly, two people of the people released by the firefighters died at the scene.
“The third injured person was handed into the care of the paramedics who also treated one other person who had managed to get out of a vehicle.”
The road was closed for six hours as a result of the collision to allow officers to examine the scene and recover the vehicles.
Any witnesses to the collision are asked to contact Cumbria Police on 101, email [email protected] or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111Â .